


Moonbeams and Sundrops

by Celestlian



Category: Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Episode: s01e21 Secret of the Sundrop, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Older!Varian, Other, Post-Canon, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-03-19 10:31:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13702659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celestlian/pseuds/Celestlian
Summary: In prison, Varian wakes up to find himself a few years older with his hair glowing blue. He also finds that since he's the moon's counterpart, he can communicate with Rapunzel whilst she's out exploring the rocks.He can definitely hear her voice, feel her movements, and can even physically touch Rapunzel without actually being with her.Oh, and he definitely develops a crush on the princess, which he knows will never be requited.





	1. Chapter 1

Varian had woken up for the third time that night. He was sore to look at. His hair was a mess, and his eyes were red. Either with tears, or with tiredness, the guards would not have been able to figure that out if they had been strolling around the floor at that time. 

The boy slowly got to his feet, and did what he always did now: pace. Rudiger was still asleep in the corner of the room, and so Varian was quiet as to not disturb him. He sighed. There was nothing to do, and the King, despite Queen Ariana's visits and updates, had not gotten help for him. He was fine with that, though - he didn't mind being alone. He didn't mind the silence, the small window that only gave a glimpse of a dark night sky glittering with stars, the light that emanated from above-

 

Wait. 

 

Varian looked up and muffled his scream with his gloves. His normally greyish-blue streak was glowing bright blue, almost moon-like. In a panic, he looked around for anything that had a reflective surface. He then looked down at the cuffs on his wrists and hastily breathed on them and wiped off the mist. There. Now he could-

Varian froze as he saw himself in a reflection for the first time in days.

What had happened to his face?! 

Varian looked about 18 now. He had a chiselled jawline, and his hair was unkempt, yes, but in a more...mature(?) sort of way. His eyes were glowing bright blue though, and hat startled him.

He stared at his glowing, bright blue hair for a good amount of time, wondering what on earth had happened. Had he spilled one of his experimental vials earlier? What had triggered it? And why on earth was it happening  _now?_

Almost on cue, he heard a gentle, sweet voice. 

_"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine..."_

He froze. 

It couldn't be. She wasn't here. She was somewhere in Corona, free, whilst he, Varian, was left to rot in prison. 

"Oh great, now i'm hearing voices. I'm going insane." Varian sighed irritably. "You know, this wouldn't have happened if-" 

_"V-Varian?"_

The alchemist was cut off by the same voice that had been singing. He paused, unsure of whether to reply. He then decided against it, and kept silent.

 _"Varian, I heard your voice."_ There was a pause.  _"I'm out exploring the rocks. They're taking me somewhere. I don't know where, but it's something I'm looking into."_

Now THAT...was interesting. Varian wanted to reply now, but he wasn't sure what to say. After a few minutes, he finally spoke.

"You could just be a voice in my head." 

He heard the girl sigh. 

_"And you could just be a voice in mine, but I know that's not true because....well, I've been anxious lately, and-"_

"So have I princess. So have I," Varian growled. He sat down on the ground, groaning in annoyance as he put his head in his hands. 

"Look, I'll give you the details. Right now, my hair and eyes are glowing blue, I've changed from being 14 years old to 18, I have no idea why I'm communicating with you..." he trailed off. Why  _was_ he communicating with her? He liked the silence in the cell, and he didn't mind being alone. 

_"You're lonely. I'm lonely too."_

Varian scoffed. "You have Cass and Eugene."   
  


At that, he heard a sheepish laugh.  _"Actually I uh...I don't."_

Varian's eyes widened. He jumped up. 

"You're out there  _alone?"_

"Um...yeah." 

"What is wrong with you?!" he exclaimed. His hair began to glow brighter, and he felt an energy burning within him. "You could get hurt! Someone could kidnap you! You could die! RAPUNZEL!" 

 

At his outburst, moonbeams shot out from him in all directions. The cell was filled with a blinding blue light for a moment before Varian collapsed to the ground. He faintly felt Rudiger nuzzling his face, worried, trying to desperately get him up. 

_"Varian! Are you alright?"_

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, pulling him up. Varian groaned. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said coldly, brushing off the hand like it was nothing. He opened his eyes, only to find no one there in front of him. He tilted his head, confused. 

"Where are you?" 

 _"I'm not in Corona, but I can physically touch you,"_ Rapunzel said. Varian shuddered at the word 'touch'. He looked around.

"Can I touch you?" 

_"I...what?"_

"No, no! Not like that! As in, like um...um...just...I know where you are in this cell, even though I can't see you. Why though? Why is my hair like this?" 

Rapunzel was quiet for a few moments whilst Varian stroked Rudiger's fur. The raccoon sat on his lap, looking up at him with innocent wide eyes. 

_"The only thing I can conclude is that when you were born with moon powers, just like I was born with powers from the sun."_

Varian stared at her. 

"Are you kidding me? No, that can't be it! There must be some...scientific explanation! Alchemy, something!" 

 _"Varian, please listen-"_  

"NO!"

 

He heard Rapunzel go silent. And then, he heard a shaky breath. He knew it wasn't his, and he felt a small twinge of guilt. 

"Rap-"

_"Goodnight Varian."_

 

He heard nothing, and after half an hour of waiting, Varian decided he should get some sleep. 

 

With a sigh, he got onto his bed and fell asleep, just as the first light of the new day shone through the cracks of the clouds and entered his window.


	2. Chapter 2

Varian woke up to the afternoon light streaming through his window. He noticed with relief that his hair and eyes were back to their normal colour, but his face hadn’t changed from last night.

His eyes widened as he heard footsteps. Varian frantically tried to hide his face with his hair, but he only ended up flipping his hair back. In a last resort, he turned his back on the guards. However, he regretted it as soon as he heard the voices of Pete and Stan, the two friendliest guards on the block. 

“Hey, you okay Varian?” 

Varian liked these two. They didn’t call him ‘kid’ like the other guards did; he didn’t want to be a ‘kid’.  _I’m definitely not one now though, am I?_ he thought, as Pete sighed gently. 

“Varian, please answer us.”

”Yeah, I’m fine.” He realised to his horror that his voice had grown deeper. 

“You sure? You seem kind of-“ 

Varian cut Stan off by turning round. Pete jumped back. 

“Whoa! What happened to you?” 

Varian decided to play along and pretend he had no prior knowledge of this. 

“W-What do you-AH!” 

Varian let out a scream of terror as he pretended to see his face for the first time in his shackles. His reaction was half-true; he still couldn’t believe this had, and was, happening to him. Pete and Stan glanced at each other. Stan leant down on one knee. 

“Varian, look at me.” 

Varian stared at him, and Stan looked at him the same way Quirin had: like a father. For a moment it was too much for Varian. He wanted to look away, but instead kept his eyes on the guard in front of him.

“We’re going to talk to the Queen, okay? She’ll help.” 

Varian felt ill. Arianna, who he had kidnapped, and yet...she wanted to help him. He felt an overwhelming urge to break. Suddenly, he couldn’t control himself.

”I’m sorry!” He cried, and Stan held his hand through the bars as Varian sobbed.

“It’s okay son. It’s okay.”

Stan stroked his hair through the bars as the alchemist sobbed.  

“I’ll go get the Queen,” Varian heard Pete mutter. There was the sound of footsteps walking away fast, then the opening and the slamming of a door. 

Varian didn’t know why he was crying. He was just so  _tired_ of everything, but he hadn’t cried over that. It was for a different reason now. Arianna no longer mattered in that second. 

Stan had called him ‘son’, the way his father had, and Varian hadn’t been able to take it. He cried harder, shaking violently. Stan tried to pull him closer, but the bars prevented him from doing so. The older guard swore softly under his breath. Suddenly, there were footsteps. Varian couldn’t calm himself in time, because soon the Queen Of Corona had taken Stan’s place.

”Oh my God.”

Varian just kept on crying, unable to stop. Arianna held his hands. 

“Sweetheart, what happened?” 

“I miss him!” Varian cried. “I miss him so much.” 

“I know darling. _I know_.” 

Varian processed the last two words. It sounded like Arianna understood him. For once, someone understood him. That just made him completely break down, and he cried so hard he felt drained. 

Suddenly, there was a jingle of keys, and Arianna ran into the cell. Varian wrapped his arms around her. She reminded him of his mother. So, so much. 

“I want Mum back,” he choked. “I want Mum...and Dad...back,” he said through sobs.

 

That day, Arianna didn’t leave his side until night.  


	3. Chapter 3

Varian often wondered how he’d broken down like that. 

It had been a week since that event had happened with Arianna, and Varian felt embarrassed. He shouldn’t be angry at himself for crying, he knew that - but he wished he hadn’t gone down so hard. 

He stared out the window, listening to the boots of guards and the shouts of the Captain of the Guard. Varian frowned, looking at the ground. After the events with Rapunzel, his feelings for Cass had become confused. He didn’t like her as much as he thought he had, and Rapunzel...

Well, Rapunzel...

_Well..._

What was there to say about her? Rapunzel had broken her promise to help him when he needed it most. But at the same time, he couldn’t help but think back to last week. He could hear her voice. It was excitable sometimes, but also soft and gentle. It could be angry, a tone that sent tumbling back into the cell wondering how such a girl could be angry.

But he’d seen that side to her, and he resented her for it.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

”Varian? Are you there?”

“Hello princess.”

He heard her move from where she was; he could sense that she’d moved closer to him, whilst he hadn’t moved at all. He sat with his cuffs on his wrists, looking at her.

”Your voice is deeper,” she noted.

“Yeah, it’s strange.”

He knew Rapunzel had noticed the shortness of his reply. He could sense her every move, and it unnerved him. Rapunzel sighed, glancing out at what seemed to be a field.

”Must be nice, out in the open,” he said bitterly. Rapunzel didn’t answer for a while. Then, suddenly:

”Can I get you out of those handcuffs?”

Immediately Varian’s head snapped up. “H-How do you-“

”I can sense what you’re wearing, what binds you and what doesn’t,” she explained. “I could try and get you out.”

”How?” Varian asked, suspicious.

Rapunzel faltered. “Well...if I got a really hard rock-“

The alchemist found himself laughing. “How would that work? These are made of metal.”

He sensed her turning away, sensed her upset. Varian didn’t know what to do. 

“I...” he started. She whipped back round.

”What, are you going to be pessimistic again?”

Varian went silent at that. Yes, he was - and both of them knew it. His mind was whirring, trying to figure out what to say to this usually passionate princess that seemed to have gotten upset.

”If you used a really sharp rock, maybe that would work.”

Rapunzel was silent for a few moments, picking at the grass. “I don’t want to hurt you,” she said. He could feel her wince at the sentence, knowing the sheer dark irony of what she’d just said.

”You and me both princess. You and me both.”

Rapunzel looked up, surprised. Varian didn’t smile, but he was definitely calmer than he had been a few minutes ago.

He didn’t want to believe it, but something,  _something_ made him think that maybe she actually didn’t want to hurt him. He’d been in prison for two months after all - a different environment can change you, his father had once said.

But to Varian, he hadn’t changed at all, and neither had Rapunzel.

”Um...so how do I tell people that I can sense and talk to you?”

Rapunzel’s eyes widened. “You’re going to tell them? Varian, they’d think you’ve gone crazy!”

”I AM crazy!” he exclaimed. Rapunzel flinched at his outburst, and he was once again reminded of that woman who’d kept Rapunzel for her hair. Varian sighed.

”I’m sorry, I just...I thought...this couldn’t stay a secret.”

Rapunzel looked at his hand. 

“I think we can keep this between us,” she said quietly. Varian looked at her.

He didn’t dare allow himself to hope, but..

”You really think so?”

”Yes,” Rapunzel said, the corners of her mouth curving upwards.

 

When she left and the connection had gone, Varian found himself cherishing that smile as the guard walking through the dungeon called, “lunch!”


End file.
